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What Should I Expect?

What should I wear?

Folks wear all sorts of clothes at Bethel. Being comfortable in church is what's important. For example, Pastor Greg might wear jeans one Sunday and a suit the next--just to let you know that it's all OK.

Where should I go when I arrive?

The Holy Grounds Cafe is in operation from 9:30 to 9:45 each Sunday morning. It's a great place to meet people and get some free breakfast and coffee. Just follow your nose to the cafe, which is on the right-hand wing of the the church, behind the sanctuary.

The front hallway of the educational building is where you'll meet our greeters. They will help you find a Sunday School class, walk you to the nursery, or direct you to the sanctuary. Maps of the church are available for your convenience.

If I attend a service at Bethel, what should I expect?

First, you should expect friendly people. The folks here are warm and friendly. Some may even hug you--but most will wait til they know you a little better. You should expect a mostly-traditional Baptist worship service, with some more contemporary music and other elements thrown in. We believe that worship should be dynamic, and shouldn't be the same format all the time.

What will my child experience?

On the first Sunday of the month, children ages 3 years through 6th grade are dismissed to Faith Weaver Friends partway through the 11:00 service. On the second Sunday of the month, children are dismissed to Mission Friends partway through the worship service. These two events are fun learning environments for children, focusing on the Bible on on missions. Then, the remaining Sundays, children are invited to stay in the service, where there will be a children's sermon just for them.

We also have many fun events for children and youth throughout the year at Bethel.

What happens at Bethel on Wednesday nights?

The praise team and choir rehearse on Wednesday nights. If you're interested in these groups, please see members of the praise team and choir to get detailed schedules. Also, these schedules are found in the weekly bulletin.

On the Wednesday nights following the first Sunday of each month, we have a business meeting at Bethel.

On the remaining Wednesday nights, Bible study and prayer group for adults is in the Fellowship Hall at 7PM.

On those same Wednesday nights, our children's ministry is in the basement of the educational building. Youth group is upstairs, behind the sanctuary.

We also lead nursing home devotions every
couple of months or so. The WMU group is in charge of that, but the schedule is
set by the Dan River Baptist Association.
Devotions are held from 10:30 – 11:00
on Saturday mornings.

We have an ongoing ministry of collecting food
for the local food pantry. The local pantry is The Good Samaritan. I try to
deliver our collections once a month.

We have an ongoing transportation ministry for
a member of our church, Kim Newby, who goes to dialysis three times a week.
Volunteers usually commit to once a month.

We collect items throughout the year for
Operation Christmas Child.

There are typical fund raisers held for the
youth group throughout the year. They can be any kind and any time, but typically
there are a couple of stew fund raisers as well as a spaghetti supper. Also
each year there is a ‘Field of Freedom’ fund raiser in which people buy flags
in honor of or in memory of someone and the flags are put on display in the
front church yard and illuminated each night for a week.

May –
Family Life Committee decides on the dates for the 16 yr old recognition as
well as the recognition of graduates. Mother’s Day recognition.

June –
Father’s Day recognition

July –
Communion; VBS and Youth Camp are done at some point every summer

August –
Annual Men’s Golf Outing; vote on new Nominating Committee Report at the August
business meeting; Last Sunday is Sunday School promotion and also the last
Sunday is deacon elections

September
– Alma Hunt Offering; Grandparent’s Day; Youth Sunday is typically held on a
Sunday in September, but the youth committee decides when it will be held; New
Sunday School teachers begin the first Sunday of September as well as the new
committee members.

October
– Communion; Trunk or Treat; Newly elected deacons begin to serve; budget
requests are due the end of October

November
– Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Packing Party!!; Thanksgiving Meal and
Service; Poinsettia orders are due – in memory or honor of someone so they can
be placed in the sanctuary for the Christmas season

December
– Either the last week of November or first of December the sanctuary is
decorated. Sometimes it’s done during a Sunday morning worship service as the
Hanging of the Greens. Sometimes it’s done on a Wednesday night as an “Old
Fashioned Christmas Gathering” which is more laid back. The first Sunday in
December is Faith Weaver friends recognition. It’s done the beginning of
worship for just a few minutes for the children to be recognized and sing a
song. Vote on upcoming year’s church budget at the December business meeting;
Trip to Operation Christmas Child Warehouse in Charlotte to inspect shoe boxes
and get them ready to ship; Lottie Moon Christmas Offering; Christmas Cantata;
Christmas Play.

Our preaching is designed to inspire and educate believers, and to lead people to faith in Jesus Christ.

Our teaching is Christ-centered and Bible-based.

Our ministries extend to all generations, from infants to seniors. We have a healthy balance of generations at Bethel.

Our missions are incarnational - meaning that while giving to missionaries is a priority for us, we believe that every Christian is called to live out our faith among our neighbors daily, and to be missionaries wherever we are.